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A Minnesota choose sentenced a person to life in jail with out parole Thursday for the loss of life of his first spouse, 13 years after police stated he shot her over their monetary troubles and lied to investigators that it occurred throughout a house invasion.
A number of of Heidi Firkus’ family and friends gave emotional sufferer statements earlier than the choose sentenced her husband Nick Firkus, 40, for his crimes. For years, Nick Firkus maintained he was harmless and {that a} mysterious dwelling intruder was concerned in her loss of life. Nevertheless, investigators discovered there was nothing to again up his alibi and located proof that he lied to his spouse about their money owed.
“Each murder is a deep tragedy. This case is especially egregious not solely due to what a beautiful individual Heidi was but additionally how lengthy frankly it did take to convey Nicholas Furus to justice,” Elizabeth Lamin, the assistant district lawyer for Ramsey County, Minnesota, stated.
Nick and Heidi Firkus are seen on this undated household picture.
Courtesy Firkus Household
On April 25, 2010, Heidi Firkus referred to as 911 saying there was a break-in and stopped speaking after a gunshot went off, in keeping with the audio from the decision. Police discovered her useless and her husband wounded within the leg from a gunshot.
“20/20” will take a deep look into Heidi Firkus’s homicide and the 13-year-long investigation in an episode airing this Friday at 9 p.m. ET and streaming the subsequent day on Hulu.
Nick Firkus advised investigators that he fought over a shotgun with the intruder and that it went off, hitting each him and his spouse.
Firkus additionally advised officers that the couple was dealing with critical monetary issues and had been set to be evicted.
No suspects had been named and nobody was arrested for years.
Nevertheless, investigators had been nonetheless wanting into Nick Firkus’ position in his spouse’s loss of life, particularly since there have been discrepancies in his story. There have been no indicators of a break-in in the home and solely Nick Firkus’ DNA was discovered on the shotgun.
He was arrested in Might 2021 and charged with first and second diploma homicide. Prosecutors stated that Nick Firkus killed his spouse to cover from the disgrace of their monetary troubles.
A jury convicted Nick Firkus on each costs on Feb. 10 after deliberating for 10 hours.
Peter Erickson, Heidi Firkus’ brother, blasted Nick Firkus throughout his influence assertion.
“The conclusion rapidly set in that the whole lot Nick was telling us, betrayed who I knew my sister to be,” he stated. “The truth that he had the audacity to pedal a narrative that was so clearly inconsistent with Heidi’s character was and nonetheless very a lot as insulting and in offensive to me and everybody else who really knew and beloved her.”
Linda Erickson, the sufferer’s mom, received emotional throughout her assertion fascinated with the years of life misplaced.
“Due to the unthinkable actions of 1 individual, she was robbed and those that beloved her had been robbed of collaborating in that journey along with her,” Linda Erickson stated.
Nicholas Firkus will seem in Ramsey County court docket Thursday afternoon for his sentencing listening to nearly 13 years to the day of his spouse’s homicide.
Ramsey County Sheriff’s Workplace
Nick Firkus’ attorneys contended their consumer’s story was the reality and that his spouse’s loss of life was attributable to the break-in.
Nick Firkus once more reiterated his claims that he did not homicide his spouse earlier than the choose sentenced him.
“I do keep and can keep to my dying breath,” he stated.
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